Automobile wheel-brake.



A. C. MASON.

AUIOMOBILE WHEEL BRAKE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9. 191s.

F FLINT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, EY E ASSGNMENTS, TU CHEVROLET MUTOE, COMPANY, A CGJRPOMTJION 0F' DELAWARE.

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specification of Letters raamt.

Patented Apr., 29, 21919.

Application led September 9, 1915. serial No. 49,6641.

To all whom 4z' may concern.'

Be it knownthat I, ARTHUR citizen of the United States, of the city of Flint, county of Genesee, and State of Michigan, have invented certain C. MASON, a

new and useful Improvements in Automo# bile Wheel-Brakes, is a specification.

The invention relates to a brake band for use in automobile construction, so arranged that the movable braking element4 engages with the ent-ire inner surface of the brake drum.

@ne of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved spring brake element which can be expanded and at the same time shifted bodily to engage its entire outer surface with the inner surface of the brake drum so constructed that it can be adjusted to compensate for wear.

Another obj ect is to make the brake simple in construction, eflicient in operation and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects will appear from the following description and claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the braking element shown in its normal and inoperative position, the brake flange, shaft and shaft housing being shown in section, portions of the co'perating elements being partly broken away and shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a section on the staggered line 2-2 of Fig. 1,l with portions of the coperf ating elements shown in plan.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the cam element.

ln the drawings, like reference characters refer to like parts.

1 is a ortion of a wheel, 2 indicates the wheel hu 3 the shaft, 4 theshaft housing and 5 the spokes of the wheel. 6 is a plate secured by any suitable means to the spider arm 6a, which are integral with the shaft housing, 7 the brake drum, 8 means for securing the brake drum to the wheel. 10 is is a circular split spring element situated within the brake drum and so arranged that its upper surface is contiguous to the inner surface of the flange 9 of the brake drum and 11 is the brake lining made of any suitable material adapted for that purpose and secured by any suitable meansas 12 to the outer surface of the spring split ring 10. To each free end of the split spring upon the of which the following and a resident -flange. The end of the bolt inner surfaces thereof are secured l.'shaped castings 13 and 13', the arms of which 14; and 14 are curved to lit closely upon the inner surface of the spring and are secured by suitable means 15 and 15 to the said spring. The other arms 16 and 16 of the L-shaped casting project inwardly toward the center on lines substantially parallel to each other and each of these castings is provided with centrally arranged strengthenlng ribs 17 and 17. The outer ends of said ribs are provided with notches 18 and 18 as shown. A spring 20 is secured at each end to the notches 18 and 18 in the ribs 17 and 17. vThis spring is provided with helical portions 2011 and 20b near each end, the inner ends of the helical portions being connected by a straight inte ral piece 21. The inner arms 16 and 16 o the lL-shaped castings 13 and 13 are provided with kerfs or notches in the ends thereof through which passes the straight portion 21 connecting the spring elements. At the inner surface of the split spring ring at the central portion thereof, opposite the split in the ring, is secured the U-shaped element 30 by any suitable means as 31. A block 32 is secured by a nut or any suitable means to a spider arm 6a of the axle housing at 33. This block is substantially square in cross section and ts nicely within the walls of the U-shaped element 30 and it is of sucient width to permit a substantial movement of the U- shaped element upon it. rlhrough the block is a radial hole or opening 35 in which is closely fitted a bolt 36 having a head 37 which abuts against the outer sides of the block 32. Surrounding the shank of the bolt between the bridge 37a of the U-shaped element and the inner surface of the block, is a compression spring 38 which normally tends to hold the split spring braking element away from the surface of the brake passes through an opening in the bridge-37a of the U-shaped elem ent and a nut 39 is provided with means 40 for locking itin its adjusted position on the end of the bolt. 1n practice, this nut is so positioned on the bolt that the outer shorter arms 16 and housinge and it is so positioned that it may be turned in its bearing upon its axis by operating any suitable lever or means which are arranged in such a position as to be easily operated by the chauffeur. The cam elements 49. and L13 normally rest within the 16 of the L-shaped castings 13 and 13 and in the inner cam element i3 is cut or formed a kerf or slot which is in juxtaposition with thekerfs or slots in the inner arms of the L-shaped casting and through which passes the straight portion 21 connecting the spring portion 20 and 20" of the spring 20.

The operation of my improved brake is as follows:

When the cam is turned on its axis, the arms thereof operate against the inner surfaces and 51 of the L-shaped castings and the free ends of the split circular spring will then be forced apart thereby causing them to impinge against the inner surface of the brake drum. When the braking surface lof the spring is thus forced against the inner surface of the brake drum, a cam action sets in and the entire spring is then shoved over in the direction of the arrow A against the action of the spring 38 surrounding the shank of the bolt 36. The spring braking element is thus caused to engage throughout its entire surface with the entire surface of the anges of brake drum.

IVhen the braking operation is completed, the chauffeur then releases the cam element 40 and it then takes its normal position as shown in Fig. 1 and the split spring braking element resumes its normal position by the combined operations of the springs.

Then the brake lining 11 becomes worn, an adjustment of its position is made by means of the lock nut 39, which may be set in any suitable position on the shank of the bolt 36, to accomplish this purpose.

While I have shown certain features of my moving the spring 2. In an automobile bra e, asprin brak-v invention in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that said drawings are merely illustrative, and that I am not confined to what is therevshown and herein described, in connection therewith, except as may be specifically set forth in the claims.

Hav-ing now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an automobile brake, a split spring braking element, a cam, onearm of which is provided with a slot, means secured to the free ends of the split spring braking element for engagement with the cam, a spring element, one portion of which passes through the slot inthe cam for holding the free ends of the split braking element 1n engagement with the cam, a U-shaped element arranged opposite to the split in the spring braking element, means engaging. with the inner surface of the U- haped element for supporting the spring braking element, .and means for brakin element radially.

ing element, means for supporting sai braking element., means for causing said braking element to slide upon its supporting means, and a bolt freely mounted on said supporting means and freely engaging with the braking element, and an adjustable means on said bolt to regulate the extent of the sliding movement of the spring'braking element, a compression spring encircling the bolt between the said supporting means .and the braking element to normally hold the braking element in inactive position.

In witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand at the borough of Manhattan, city and State of New York, this third day of September, 1915.

. ARTHUR C. MASON. In presence of- ETHEL D. BARON, J oHN J. RANAGAN. 

